Axle.



J. JQGARNEY.

AXLE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.16, 1910. v

1205130810 Patented Jan. 21,1913.

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JAMES J. CARNEY, 0F HAVERHILL, MASSACHUSETTS.

AXLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 21,1913.

i Application filed November 16, 1910. Serial No. 592,713.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES J. GARNEY, residing at Haverhill, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented ail-Improvement in Axles, of which the fol; lowing is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in means for lubricting wagon-axles, and more particularly to means for lubricating an axle without removing the wheel.

The object of my invention is to prov de a simple and effective means for lubricating a wagon axle, without removing the wheel, which will enable the axle to be quickly lubricated, and which will also afford a means for retaining a quantity of the lubricant so that lubrication will not be frequently necessary, and which is of such construction that it may be readilyand easily applied to any ordinary axle. I accomplish these 0b]ects by the means shown in the accompanying drawing, in which,

Figures 1, 2 and 3 are central longitudinal sections of a wagon axle provided with my invention, and showing the parts in different positions. Figs. 4 and5 are end views of the axle showing the parts in differentposit-ions. Fig. 6 is a cross section on the line 66 of Fig. 1. Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views, in cross section and end elevation,

respectively, of a modified form of my invent-ion.

.In the drawing a indicates the usual carriage axle on which the box 6 bearing the hub is. rotatably mounted, the hub and box being held in place on the axle by means of a nut c, which is threaded thereonfiin the usual manner, and is open at its outer end, so that the end of the axle is exposed. According to my invention I provide the axle with a bore d which extends'longitudinally of the axle from the outer end thereof, nearly to the inner end, and at a short distance below the uppermost portion of the bearing surface thereof, so that it breaks into the bore of the nut c and intersects the inner portion of the surface of the shoulder against which the nut is ,screwed. Said bore d extends approximately parallel to the surface of the axle and a slot e is cut in the axle from its upper side into the bore (5 from a point at ashort distance from the outer vend of the bearing portion to within a short distance of theinner end of the bore d. A tube f, which acts to form a tubular valve, as hereafter explained, is provided,

having a series of apertures f therein, at

one sidethereof, said tube being of sufficient length to extend from the outer end of the axle to the inner end of the bore d, so that it is mounted in acircular bearing at each and t. A lug j is also provided on said tube f, which is arranged to engage the pin g when the tube is rotated to a position 1n the same, and also hold it in position. An

aperture 2" is provided in the washer which is arranged so that by turning the washer to the position of Fig. 5, it may register with the end of the tube. Said washer also acts as a protector or cover for the arm h when in its normal position, as shown in Fig. 1.

- In. connection with the above described device I provide a filling device, which comprises a cylinder at having one end closed and having a discharge tube a connected to said closed end, said tube being adapted to be inserted into, and to fit closely in the tube 7. Said tuber/z is closed at its opposite end and is provided with a row of apertures n in one side thereof, which are arranged to register with the apertures f of the tube f,

when'the. tube n is inserted in thetube f, so thatits inner end extends approximately to the'inner end of tube f. The cylinder m and is provided with a piston 9, so that by rotating said rod the lubricant which is in the cylinder m may be forced into and through vthe tube a and out through its aper Under normal conditions the lever it willtures n.

be held in the position of Fig. 4, restingacting as a valve. none of the lubricant is actually discharged of a hard grease,

against the .stop g, and the washer 2' will be held against the end of the tube f closing the end thereof. l Vhen it is desired to lubricate the bearing the arm h is moved to the position of Fig. 5, sot-hat the lu j engages the pin 9 and the apertures f will face upwardly. .The Washer 11 is loosened and turned so that" its aperture 2" will be in register withthe end of the tube f, and then the tube n on the end of the into the tube f, until it-comes to a stop, in

which position the apertures in the tube 12 will be in register with the apertures f in the tube f,

cylinder to which the tube 12 is connected, forcing the lubricant, preferably in 'the form contained in the cylinder through the tube tures n and f into the slot 6, or space be tween the tube f and axle-box and also intov the space between the axle and the axle-box. The pump tube 17. is then withdrawn and the arm h is moved back to the initial position, rotating the tube f so that communication'between the bearing surface and the interior of the tube is cut off, the tube thus It will be observed that into tube f, or left in it when tube a is removed. In this way theaxle is thoroughl lubricated, and a supply of lubricant is le t .in the space between the upper side of the tube f and the axle-box, as indicated in Fig.

6, which will be applied to the bearing surfaces, as needed. I have found, in practice, that a deep groove filled with a lubricant of the nature which I preferably employ, is of mno more practical value than a shallow groove, for the reason that only the lubricant which is held close to the bearingsurface, is applied to the bearing in either case.

v After the pump tube n has been withdrawn,

and the arm it has been'thrown back, to the position of Fig. 4, the washer i is again turned so that its aperture is out of register with the tube f and is then tightened against the end of the tube. I

i remove the nut, the disk 2' is open to the 0b In practice a small amount of lubricant will work out between the tube fiand the bore d, which contains it, to. the face of the nut, and from this point will escape between the face of the nut and the end of the axlebox and act to lubricate the bearing surfaces therebetween. As the thrust on these surfacesis at times, considerable, lubrication thereof is very desirable.

As, in some instances, it isdesirable to jection that it must be removed in order that the nut may be removed. To obviate this objection and yet to provide means for closing the end of the tube 7, and also to provide means the-lever k, I may also employ the conpump is slid as shown in Fig. 3. Then the piston g is screwed toward the endof the and out through the aper-- serted to lubricate the bearing,

for holding and protecting.

struction shown in Figs. 7 and 8, in which a plug 6, 'having an arm 1 on its end, is provided, said plug being adapted to fittightly in the outer end of the tube. f, and said arm being ada ted to be held against the outer side of tile arm h and between said arm and the head of a stop screw 8,

which is mounted in the end of the axle, the diameter of the head of said screw be- .ing suificient to cover the end portions of the arms h and 1', but not extending beyond the periphery of the threaded portion of the axle, so that the nut may be removed without removing the screw 8. the axle, when. this construction is employed, the arm h is moved to a position corresponding to that of Fig. 5, and the arm 1" is swung from behind the head of the screw and is then drawn out of the tube so that the tube of the pump may be inas already described. The plug 2?, when in osition, prevents the entrance of dust or irt into the tube 7' and also prevents leakage of the lubricant from the tube, in case there should be any leakage through its apertures f.

In lubricating The above described device may be readily applied to any ordinary wagon axle, as

Will be'apparent, and when applied enables. the axle to be quickly and easily lubricated without removing the nut or wheel.

. I claim 1. A vehicle axle having a longitudinal bore leading from its outer'end and open-.

ing to the bearing surface at an intermediate point therein, avalve tube fitted in said bore and having a port in one side, said tube being movable to carry said port into'and out of register with said openlng, to open' and close communication between its interior and the'bearing, in combination with a filling tube telescopically insertible in said valve tube from the outer end thereof and having a side port arranged to be brought,

into position of register with the port of said-valve tube when the latter is in position of register with said opening, and

' means for forcing. a lubricant from said filling tube, through said ports and said openmg, while said tubes are held in said positions of register, substantially as described.

2. A vehicle axle having a longitudinal bore leading from its outer end and opening to the bearing surface at an intermediate pointtherein, a valve tube fitted insaid bore wanes:

of register with said opening, and means for forcing a lubricant from said filling tube, through said ports and said opening,

While said tubes are held in said positions of register, substantially as described.

3, A vehicle axle having a longitudinal bore leading from its end and Opening to the bearing surface at a distance from the end, and a valve tube for said bore fitted and rotatable therein, said tube having a port in one side thereof arranged to permit communication between the bearing and the interior of the tube in certain positions of rotation of the latter, an arm on the outer end of said tube for rotating the same, and means for limiting the movement of said arm at a predetermined point, substantially as described.

4. A vehicle axle having a longitudinal was leading from its end and opening to the bearing surface at a distance from the end, and a valve tube for said bore fitted and rotatable therein, said tube having a port in one side thereof arranged to permit communication between the bearing and the interior of the tube in certain positions of r0- tation of the latter, an arm on the outer end of said tube for rotating the same, and means for limiting the movement of said arm at directly opposite positions to hold the tube both in its open and closed position, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my. name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JAMES J. OARNEY.

Witnesses:

L. HARRIMAN, H, B. DAVIS. 

